What employees wish their boss knew

What would you like your boss to know? 
Your Rant: I have 10 employees who are working for me and they all seem to be moving in slow motion. What can I do to get them to perform better?
911 Repair:
The U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the “armed” robbery conviction of Deshon Odom. Sure he was [...]

Is it poor performance or a personal problem?

What’s your strategy for talking with employees about poor performance? 
Your Rant: I’ve got an employee who is performing very poorly. I’ve talked to him, but I have no idea what is going on.
911 Repair:
My undergraduate degree is in Occupational Therapy and I’ve worked in a number of psychiatric hospitals along the way. I wish I [...]

Getting the most out of a high-maintenance employee

What is your strategy for dealing with a high-maintenance employee? 
Your Rant: I have a great performer who is also a pain in the rear end. How do you deal with a high-maintenance employee?
911 Repair:
A friend of mine had a Fiat sports car. He said that Fiat stood for “fix it all the time.” But [...]

Failing grade, what to do with a failing employee

What are your strategies for dealing with a failing employee?
Your Rant: I’ve got an employee who has a great deal of potential, but he isn’t getting the job done. Any advice on how to turn this around?
911 Repair,
As I was thinking about your question, I thought of John Gladney. He was arrested in Columbus, [...]

Spotting and dealing with insubordination

What is your strategy for dealing with insubordination at work?
Your Rant: I have an employee who never listens to what he’s told to do. I’m tired of it and feel that this is blatant insubordination, but our company personnel policies don’t specifically define what constitutes insubordination. Can you offer one?
911 Repair,
Your email reminded me [...]

Not getting it done, coping with a poor performer

What is your strategy for dealing with a poor performer?
Your Rant: I’ve got a person who just isn’t cutting it. But I feel sorry for the guy and I’d like to be sure that I give him every chance to make it. Can you help me come up with a strategy to do this?
911 Repair,
University [...]

I don’t want to get burned when I fire an employee

What’s your strategy to fire an employee?
YOur Rant: I’ve got to fire one of those employees who fights everything. He even challenged a verbal warning I gave him a few years ago. How can I fire this guy without ending up in court? 
911 Repair,
Given the heightened security concerns in Washington, D.C. the headline was [...]

Getting great reviews, conducting effective reviews

What are your strategies for conducting great performance reviews?
Your Rant: I’ve never conducted a performance review. In fact, my only experience with reviews was with a boss who was a pit bull and saw them as a chance to sink his teeth into us. What is your short course on reviews?
911 Repair,
At least [...]

Writing a reference for fired employee without a lawsuit

What are your strategies for writing a reference for an employee you fired (without getting sued)?
Your Rant: I just got a call for a reference concerning an employee I fired. My first inclination is to rip the guy apart, but I heard a story about a guy who got sued for libel by an ex-employee [...]

Evaluation time-objective is possible?

How do you stay objective in your evaluations?
Your Rant: I’m about to evaluate the performance of my direct reports. This is my first time and I want to be a lot more objective than most of my bosses have been to me. 
911 Repair
Brian Hill is the former coach of the National Basketball Association’s Vancouver Grizzlies. [...]